1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an information processing apparatus which can communicate a plurality of or a single peripheral device capable of processing a service request based on a peculiar processing ability through a predetermined communication medium. The invention also relates to an information processing method of such an information processing apparatus and a storing medium in which a computer readable program has been stored.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, in an information processing system in which a computer (client) or the like and peripheral devices (a printer, a scanner, and the like) communicate through a predetermined communication medium, thereby performing a predetermined information process, according to a control method of the computer and the peripheral devices, the connection is performed mainly by a one-way communication from the client to the peripheral devices and a process is requested without knowing the current statuses, services, and abilities of the peripheral devices.
In the case where the computer (client) or the like and the peripheral devices are connected by a two-way communication, although the statuses, services, and abilities of the peripheral devices can be obtained, a change of the service or ability of the device cannot be detected. Consequently, all of the statuses, services, and abilities of the peripheral devices have to be examined each time a process is requested.
Since the conventional data processing system has been constructed as mentioned above, in the case where the computer and the peripheral devices are connected by the one-way communication, the current statuses, services, and abilities of the peripheral devices are unknown. Therefore, the control of the peripheral devices on the client side is performed by a method specialized every peripheral device, a method of requesting a process without knowing the status of the device, or the like, so that it is very inconvenient.
In this instance, it is also possible to provide a general peripheral device control method by previously preparing service information and ability information according to each peripheral device as information tables and by using these information tables. According to this method, however, each time a new peripheral device is connected, an information table according to the new peripheral device has to be prepared, so that it is troublesome.
Further, even if the service or ability changes by adding a new sub unit to the peripheral device or the like, it cannot be detected. Thus, the user himself must examine the service and ability of the device and set them or the like and it is inconvenient for the user.
Even if a multi-function peripheral device (MFP) is connected by the two-way communication, the status, all services, and all abilities of the multi-function peripheral device cannot be obtained.
In an office environment or the like, a system in which a plurality of peripheral devices are connected to each client so that a plurality of computers (clients) can be shared is constructed. In such a system, generally, each client and each peripheral device are connected by the one-way communication from the client to the peripheral device. Various information regarding the peripheral device such as a setting status (for example, a printer font and the like set in a printer) and the like of the connected peripheral device is held in each client. On the basis of the held information, the operation designation or the like of the peripheral device is performed. The held various information about the peripheral devices is information that is set on each client by the inputting operation of the user. When a change occurs in the information, the information is updated by the inputting operation of the user as necessary.
In the case where each client and each peripheral device are connected so that the two-way communication can be performed, information which is transmitted from the peripheral device to the client has been predetermined and the information which is sent to the client is only simple information such as a status or the like.
In the foregoing conventional system using the one-way communication, however, since various information about the peripheral devices is set on each client by the inputting operation of the user, for example, to know the information such as a printer font or the like which has been set at present in the printer, it is necessary to confirm the setting status of the printer by going to an installing location of the printer, to inquire to another user who knows the setting status, or the like. A use efficiency is low.
The various information regarding the peripheral devices held in the client is not always the latest information. In case of requesting a process to the corresponding peripheral device on the basis of the information held at present in the client, there is a case where the contents of the requested process cannot be obtained. In the case where the function has been improved by a version-up or the like of the peripheral device, there is a situation such that the function cannot be sufficiently utilized.
Further, in case of requesting a process to the corresponding peripheral device on the basis of the information held at present by the client, all of the information necessary to execute the process that is requested needs to be transferred to the peripheral device, resulting in an increase in transfer information amount when the process is requested.
In the foregoing conventional system using the two-way communication, since the information that is sent from the peripheral device to the client is only the predetermined information, the information designated on the client side cannot be obtained from the peripheral device. The peripheral device cannot be adequately managed on the client side and a use efficiency is low in a manner similar to the conventional system using the one-way communication.
It is an object of the invention to provide a peripheral device and a storing medium in which a use efficiency can be improved and a management to enable a function to be sufficiently utilized can be performed from the client side.